Process for treating petroleum emulsions



Patented Aug. W, 1926., I

MELVIN DE GROOTE, OF S1. LOUIS, MISSOURI; ASSIGNOR T0 WM. S. BARNICEL dz COMPANY, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI, A CORYORATIQN OF MISSOURI.

PROCESS FOR TREATING- PETROLEUM EMULSIONS.

No Drawing.

This application is a continuation in part. of my pending application for patent Serial No. 7 57 ,7 38, filed December 23, 1924, and relates to the treatment of emulsions of mineral oil and water, such as petroleum emulsions, for the purpose of separating the oil from the Water. i

The object of my present invention is to provide a novel, inexpensive process for treating petroleum emulsions of the kind referred to. Said process, briefly described,

consists in treating a petroleum emulsion 1n the conventional manner with a Water insoluble soap obtained from a neutral, acid or alkali shale oil sludge which may or may not have been previously sulphonated.

One method that can be employed for producing a Water insoluble soap of the kind above referred to is as follows: Shale is subjected to destructive distillation by means of any suitable retortso as to evolve gaseous vapor carrying certain materials susceptible of being condensed into liquid form. This gas is then passed through condensers and the liquid material, consisting essentially of oils and tar, is condensed. The gas is passed into the distributing system. This mixture of crude shale oil tar is then distilled so as to separate the lighter oils from the heavy tars. These light oils are then rectified with strong sulphuric acid so that a sulphuric acid sludge separates out. After this separation they are subjected to a strong alkaline mixture, and subsequently, an alkali sludge separates out.

The oil thus obtained is brought to the neutral point and held in. storage with the ultimate precipitation of a third or neutral sludge. The oil is finally drawn ofi' from its neutral sludge and redistilled so as to give gasoline, lubricating oils, etc. -Usually, the neutral sludge and alkali sludge can be used for breaking Waterin-oil emulsions,

sludge.

L Application filed Qctober 1, 1925. Serial lilo. 59,951,

although at times it is necessary to add more alkali or else to sulphonate this sludge with stronger sulphuric acid, such as commercial oleum, and subsequently, separate from the eucess acid and bring the product back to the I neutral point with a suitable alkali. The aeidsludge is usually made neutral With caustic soda and then treated substantially as the' original neutral sludge. These soluble soaps are converted into Water insoluble soap by double decomposition with alkaline earth or heavy metal salts. An-

other method that can be employed to produce a Water insoluble soap of the kind referred to, capable of use as an agent for breaking petroleum emulsions, is to subject the sludges of acidic character to reaction with an alkaline earth'or heavy metal oxide o hydrate.

A petroleum emulsion treating agent of the kind above described is inexpensive to manufacture; it does not show the characteristic free mineral acid, as in the case'of treating agents consisting of soaps derived from petroleum sludge; it can be shipped in metal containers on account of'its non-acid character, and itis of uniform composition. So far as e have been able to discover, this is the first commercial use for certain shale sludges.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V

l. A. process for treating petroleum emulsions, characterizzed by subjecting the emulsion to the action of a water insoluble soap obtained from a shale oil sludge.

2. A process for treating petroleum emulsions, characterized by'sulijecting the emulsion to the action of an alkaline earth, Water insoluble salt obtained. from a shale oil amt mi nu enoo'rn 

